Manulife Forest Management Announces New Public Access Program for Northeast Oregon Forest Lands
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, January 23rd, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE — Following the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s announcement earlier this week that Manulife would not renew its cooperative agreement with ODFW’s Access and Habitat program, the company issued the following press release today addressing future access to its owned and managed lands in Northeast Oregon:
PRESS RELEASE FROM MANULIFE FOREST MANAGEMENT:
Manulife Forest Management today announced it will continue providing recreational access to its managed forest lands in Northeast Oregon through a new permit-based program, following the conclusion of its long-tenured participation in the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s (ODFW) Access and Habitat program.
“We are committed to keeping our Northeast Oregon properties accessible to the public through a permit program,” said Joe Justice, Northeast Oregon Region Manager. “As the agreement with the Access and Habitat program has ended, we’ve developed a new program that will maintain public access on the properties we manage while helping to meet the growing costs and responsibilities associated with welcoming visitors to our working forests. This approach allows us to maintain these properties while providing a quality recreational experience and covering the real costs of public access”
The new Northeast Oregon Access Permit Program will require a permit fee to help offset costs such as property maintenance, safety and security, and insurance. The permit program will accommodate the number of tags previously issued in past hunting seasons for each of the hunting units our lands encompass. In essence, the number of people accessing the property with a tag will not be changed.
The program, which will begin June 1, will help address any issues on these properties which in recent years have included damage from illegal dumping, vandalism, and unauthorized activities, while ensuring lands remain available for responsible recreational use.
The program fees range from $400 for Annual Individual day-use only to $700 Annual Family with
camping. The permit includes enforceable rules for appropriate use, liability waivers, and the ability
to quickly close properties when necessary for wildfire risk, public safety, or operational reasons.
More information about the Northeast Oregon Access Permit Program, including fees, rules, and
how to obtain permits, is available on the “Northeast Oregon Access Permit Program” section of
the FAQ Page – Manulife (https://manulifeimlanduse.com/faq).
The program fees range from $400 for Annual Individual day-use only to $700 Annual Family with camping. The permit includes enforceable rules for appropriate use, liability waivers, and the ability to quickly close properties when necessary for wildfire risk, public safety, or operational reasons.
More information about the Northeast Oregon Access Permit Program, including fees, rules, and how to obtain permits, is available on the “Northeast Oregon Access Permit Program” section of the FAQ Page – Manulife (https://manulifeimlanduse.com/faq).
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EMG Author’s note. ODFW’s Original announcement can be found here: https://elkhornmediagroup.com/manulife-to-end-participation-in-access-and-habitat-program-may-31-hunter-access-to-be-impacted-in-northeast-southwest-oregon/ )
